It dealt with future events, where tripods ruled the world. Upon your 13th or 14th birthday, the males would be brought up to the tripod and fitted with a metal skull cap that would help control their thinking. I forgot the name of the series, author, or even main characters, just certain aspects of the plot.

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The story of The Tripods is a variation on post-apocalyptic literature, wherein humanity has been enslaved by "Tripods" — gigantic three-legged walking machines, piloted by unseen alien entities (later identified as "Masters"). Human society is largely pastoral, with few habitations larger than villages, and what little industry exists is conducted under the watchful presence of the Tripods. Lifestyle is reminiscent of the Middle Ages, but small artefacts from the Modern Age are still used, such as watches.

Humans are controlled from the age of 14 by implants called "Caps", which suppress curiosity and creativity. Some people, whose minds are broken by the Caps, become vagrants. According to The City of Gold and Lead, Masters begin to believe that humans should be capped at an earlier age "because some humans, in the year or two before they are Capped, become rebellious and act against the masters", but this cannot be done, because Capping must wait until the braincase has stopped growing.

There are three books in the main series published in the 1960s, The White Mountains, The City of Gold and Lead, and The Pool of Fire, and one prequel published in the 1980s, When the Tripods Came.

The Tripods trilogy by John Christopher. "[H]umanity has been enslaved by "Tripods" — gigantic three-legged walking machines, piloted by unseen alien entities...Humans are controlled from the age of 14 by implants called "Caps", which suppress curiosity and creativity."